Research Project Outline 2: Part One

I.                  Intro:

Just the name, maximum security prison sounds torturous; better yet, the last place anyone would want to make home and surly the 433 inmates contained at the MN Department of Correctional Facility, according to the MN Department of Corrections report  in March of 2012 would agree but between the private, state, federal and maximum security prisons that are stretched out over all the United States holding people that seem to be unknown to the public.  Oak Park Heights is a high security or a  level three containment prison and is only miles away from the SCSU campus. Sound intimidating or is it just the thought of the type of people contained inside that is eerie?  Picture the crimes committed in order for someone to have to face such a sentence.  Now, think about the amount of information taught on this population.  A majority of you may have built up a bleak understanding; so, clear a fresh slate to picture truth from societal assumption notice any changes in your image or what stays the same. The history that created these types of prison, what brought the maximum security into prison life of this population being contained and staff involved in the system will be focused on.

II. Process of my research:

A.1) The population I researched-

            1. Inmates at the MN maximum security prisons

A.2) Why- 2. I chose this subject because I wanted to learn misconceptions I may have of this     population in maximum security prisons and if my assumptions are wrong, right or           somewhere in between.

B) Assumptions/knowledge on population I made before my research and Why? Where did I get this information or build up this assumption?

1.      Assumption #1: Maximum security prisons hold people who have committed crimes of the highest ranks.

2.       Assumption #2:  Majority of prisoners = crimes that they don’t know they are committing/don’t understand the concept of their crimes. 

3.      I learned bits just from TV shows and in my criminal justice class.

C) What I found to be true from my assumptions?

1.      Majority of inmates in maximum security prisons = guilty of violent crimes.

2.      Other assumptions were off.

D) There are many challenges this population faces in mainstream society.

1.      Some wrongfully categorized in the population.  Understandably, many people in these facilities are detained here because of violent actions that were done while attending another prison or prisons.  Some transferred due to murder conviction or violent actions that in a few cases were claimed to be pursued out of self-defense but with lack of evidence the courts decided against them.  

2.      After prison: discrimination

                                i.            -Jobs

                              ii.            -Housing

                            iii.            -Society in general